Intraparty disagreements over mifepristone cause pause in spending bill agreement until August recess ends; Officials urge the FDA to regulate cannabidiol as a dietary supplement; State medical boards tasked with protecting Americans frequently failed to stop doctors for COVID-19 misinformation.
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A class-action lawsuit was filed against Cigna for allegedly wrongfully rejecting thousands of claims using an algorithm; Black women still have a fetal mortality rate double the national average despite declining from that of recent years; the CDC is investigating the source of ground beef causing a multistate salmonella outbreak.
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What We’re Reading: Tornado Destruction; Misdiagnoses Impact Thousands; Dengue a Pandemic Threat
July 21st 2023A tornado wreaked widespread damage to a Pfizer plant in North Carolina; a new study finds that misdiagnoses lead to 800,000 deaths and serious disabilities yearly; the World Health Organization reports dengue risk is rising because of global warming.
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Insurers supervising the health care of Medicaid patients repeatedly reject providers’ approval of care; individuals are more likely to develop dementia if they live in disadvantaged neighborhoods; a type of an immunity gene is found in people who test positive for COVID-19 but don’t develop symptoms.
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What We’re Reading: Extreme Heat; Alzheimer Drug Shows Promise; Flood of Mental Health Care Seekers
July 19th 2023Extreme heat prompts doctors to use body bags as cooling devices for heat stroke; a study of the effect of donanemab on the early stages of Alzheimer disease looks promising; UnitedHealth Group is seeing an influx of people seeking mental health care services, causing accessibility issues because of the provider shortage.
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What We’re Reading: CDC Funding Cuts; Life-Threatening Heatwave; Mental Health Crisis Line
July 17th 2023Funding cuts threaten public health programs; emergency room doctors see a surge in heat-related illnesses; national crisis line shows promising results with increased text volumes and reduced wait times.
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What We’re Reading: New CMS Proposals; WHO's Aspartame Warning; Reasonable COVID-19 Vaccine Prices
July 14th 2023CMS releases its 2024 Physician Fee Schedule, including a conversion factor cut, and proposes behavioral health efforts; a World Health Organization (WHO) agency says that aspartame may cause cancer, but another one maintains that it remains generally safe; HHS calls for COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to ensure reasonable pricing for their upcoming fall shots.
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The FDA has approved the first over the counter (OTC) birth control pill Thursday; the US Chamber of Commerce has filed a motion for preliminary injunction on the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation program; individuals living in historically redlined areas are likely to have worse heart health.
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US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer asks the FDA to investigate Prime energy drink; Washington state sees hefty fine for failing to provide mental health resources to incarcerated individuals; a new rule would require companies to disclose use of certain “forever” chemicals.
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A new proposal from the Biden administration would place more restrictions on certain health insurance plans as part of an initiative to cut costs; Eli Lilly’s obesity treatment retatrutide appears to help lessen liver fat content; Earth’s hottest day on record calls into question what temperatures humans can safely tolerate.
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Medicare will negotiate drug prices directly with companies; medical leaders react to the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action; the European Commission (EC) announces deals with Pfizer and select European companies to reserve space to manufacture vaccines for future health emergencies.
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What We’re Reading: DOJ Health Fraud Charges; Demand for Weight Loss Drugs; MDMA Therapy for PTSD
June 29th 2023The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged almost 80 people in $2.5B health care fraud ruse; nearly 50% of US adults would spend $100/month on Wegovy, other weight loss medications; Australia is the first country to offer 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, commonly known as ecstasy or MDMA, for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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Approximately 2 in 5 health care workers said they have thought of leaving their job in the past year, with half of those affected by shortages; thousands of unauthorized vapes are streaming into the US despite FDA clampdown; Eli Lilly is catching up in the weight loss market.
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What We’re Reading: CDC Malaria Warning; NC Abortion Restrictions; Ascension Nurse Strike
June 27th 2023Four people in Florida and 1 person in Texas were exposed to malaria; late revisions could counter a pending lawsuit to end abortion restrictions; about 2000 nurses in Texas and Kansas plan to strike.
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